Casualty returns to our screens with five fantastic new storylines… Which ones are you most looking forward to?
Shock exits, sudden returns and star turns (Sharon Glees from Cagney & Lacey!) all feature in the new series of Casualty. Here’s our favourite top five future storylines. Will you be gripped when the award-winning medical drama returns for a new series?
1. Bon voyage!
The new series opens with four Casualty favourites travelling to the French coach to help refugees. It’s a harrowing two-part special, which will have long-running consequences for Dr Dylan Keogh (Will Beck) and Dr Alicia Munroe (Chelsea Halfpenny). Also on hand to add depth in this two-episode special are nurses Louise Tyler (Azuka Oforka) and David Hide (Jason Durr). Will all four Casualty favourites come back changed by their experiences?
“It was so nice to do a story set away from the hospital, the look and feel is more filmic,” says Will Beck, who plays Dylan. “The main thing, however, was the importance of telling this story, which has been slightly forgotten in the news recently, and realising, when you boil it down to one human story, just how relevant it still is.”
2. Gone but not forgotten
Succeeding the two-part series opener, episode three will be an extended 70-minute special. Why? Well, the results of the inquest to racist Scott Ellisson’s death are finally made public, which will have potentially devastating consequences for doctor Ethan Hardy. Last series viewers were gripped after Scott murdered Ethan’s brother, Cal, resulting in Ethan waging a campaign of revenge.
“We pick up post-Scott but Ethan’s certainly not moving on. There’s a lot more to deal with,” reveals George Rainsford, who plays Ethan. “There are some really interesting and challenging things coming up, and I’ve been working with Amanda Mealing, who plays Connie Beauchamp, a lot more.”
We doubt Ethan will get away (Scott free, if you will) with his involvement in Ellisson’s death…
3. So long Sam!
The new series will see the sudden departure of Sam Strachan. If viewers are shocked, that’s nothing to how Connie feels when she realises her ex Sam has upped and left with their daughter Grace!
Tom Chambers, who plays Sam, told What’s on TV: “Sam vanishes and takes Grace with him – it’s a shocking exit.
“In real life I’m touring around the country with George Gershwin’s musical Crazy For You. I’m hoping, all being well, maybe Sam will come back after the tour.”
4. Play it again Sam
When one Sam exits another enters. Charlotte Salt is set to return as Dylan’s ex-wife Sam Nicholls. While her return is shrouded in mystery, what we can tell you is Sam returns without husband Tom Kent (Oliver Coleman). We think paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) will also be surprised to see his former lover back in Holby - and it may mean trouble with his love-interest, doctor Lily Chao (Crystal Yu), we hope!
Talking to TV Times, Casualty’s series producer Erika Hossington said: “Tom isn't returning. We will find out what's happened with him and why Sam’s come back.
“We know fans loved Charlotte first time round, so it seemed worth asking her. We're excited she said yes."
5. Hollywood glamour
Casualty has no problem pulling in exciting guest stars and that’s certainly the case later this year when award-winning Cagney & Lacey star, Sharon Glees, makes a special appearance in the autumn.
Sharon plays accomplished surgeon Zsa Zsa Harper-Jenkinson, former mentor to troubled doctor Dylan Keogh. Speaking about her star spot on Casualty, Sharon said: “I'm a rabid Anglophile. Some of our finest American TV is British. Zsa Zsa is a wonderful character and I hope you all enjoy her too”.
Casualty returns to BBC1 on Saturday 19 August
